NBA Trade Rumors: Dwight Howard Still Has the Upper Hand on Magic Front Office

The weekend has passed and Dwight Howard is still in an Orlando Magic uniform, and judging by his body language in Orlando's first preseason game against the Miami Heat, he's not very happy about it.

Howard's indecisiveness about his trade demands and Magic general manager Otis Smith's stubbornness about dealing him has led to one conclusion.

Howard still holds all the cards.

Smith has stated publicly that he won't give in to Howard and will seek the best deal possible, even if it's not to one of Howard's desired landing places. He's also since pulled Howard off the trade block and said the franchise is in no hurry to deal the All-Star center.

He's even recently turned down a deal with the New Jersey Nets that would have got the Magic much needed salary cap relief, two very good players in Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez and a first-round pick. It's hard to imagine a deal being offered that would exceed that return.

If a deal wasn't done by then, the ball is still in Howard's court.

Howard has made it known that he will only sign an extension with the Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks or Orlando, and the Magic seem like a less likely possibility by the day.

The offers from the teams on his list may still be there come the trade deadline in March, by every day that passes, Smith has less leverage.

Eventually Howard is going to get his way and a deal will be made with one of the teams on his list.

Howard has all the leverage against the Magic. Always has and always will.